Parcel Tracking Statuses Explained (and When to Worry)

Once your order ships, the tracking number becomes your best view of where it is. Tracking pages are written for couriers, though, not customers, and a status that hasn't changed for a day can look alarming when it is perfectly normal. Here is what the common statuses mean, roughly in the order you will see them.

The statuses, in order

Shipping information received / label created

The parcel has been booked with the courier and has a tracking number, but it hasn't been scanned into their network yet. It is normal to see this for up to a business day — parcels are usually collected from the sender in batches, and the first scan happens when that batch reaches a facility.

Received / picked up

The courier has the parcel. From here, the tracking is driven by their scans, not by us.

In transit / processed through facility

The parcel is moving through the courier's sorting network. Between capital cities it may travel by road or air. You may see several "processed" scans in a row, or a gap of a day or two while it travels between facilities with no scan at all. A gap on its own is not a problem.

Onboard for delivery / with driver

The parcel is on a vehicle in your area and is expected that day. Delivery could be any time within the driver's run, which can stretch into the evening.

Delivery attempted / awaiting collection

The driver couldn't leave the parcel — nobody was home, there was no safe place, or a signature was needed. It has usually gone to a nearby post office, parcel locker or depot, and a card or notification will say where. Collection points only hold parcels for a limited time, so collect it promptly; if it isn't collected, it is returned to us. Our guide to missed deliveries has more on this.

Delivered

The courier recorded the parcel as delivered, either handed over or left in a safe place.

Pauses that are normal

• No first scan for up to a business day after the label is created.
• No scans over a weekend or public holiday. Many facilities process fewer parcels, and linehaul trucks run on reduced schedules.
• A day or two of silence between facilities, especially for regional and interstate deliveries.
• Longer gaps for remote areas, where parcels may wait for a scheduled truck or flight. See ordering from regional and remote Australia.

When to get in touch

• Nothing has changed for three business days or more after the parcel was received by the courier.
• The parcel is past the estimated window for your state by a couple of business days. Our delivery pages list the estimate for each state and territory.
• The status says "returned to sender" or mentions an address problem.
• It says delivered, but you don't have it. First check around the property, the letterbox, with neighbours or building management, and wait until the end of the day — drivers sometimes scan a parcel slightly before it is dropped. If it still hasn't appeared, contact us.

When you contact us, include your order number. We can raise an enquiry with the courier, which is often faster than the customer doing it separately.

Keep reading

• Order tracking
• Delivery times by state
• Shipping policy

Sources & further reading

Australia Post tracking, ACCC consumer guarantees.

For adults 18+ only. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.